Outdoor Activities

Guided hikes on beautiful scenic mountain trails. If you want to hike but you’re not sure where to go or what to do; Mike will be sure to create a great hiking experience for everyone and all levels of fitness and ability. Call for guided hike appointments.

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Trail Guides for the Lincoln National Forest

575-258-8822

The most popular of the two books is the Smokey Bear Ranger District trail guide followed by the Sacramento Ranger District trail guide. Written by Lynn A. Melton and published in 2014 these books offer up to date and comprehensive trail information. Most importantly,...

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Ski Apache

(575) 464-3600 1286 Ski Run Road, Alto, New Mexico 88312

As the country’s southernmost ski area, Ski Apache offers the best warm-weather powder skiing in the world with snowmaking on 33% of the mountain. The slopes offer a mix of wide beginner slopes, tough bump runs, a huge bowl, nice cruising runs and a terrain park with...

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Ruidoso Winter Park - Tubing

(575) 336-7079 1/4 mile west of Hwy 48 on Ski Run Rd., New Mexico

Reopens Thanksgiving weekend. Twists, turns, bumps, jumps and bobsled curves! Ruidoso Winter Park is a first class tubing area with the most exciting tubing you will find anywhere. Magic Carpet Lifts whisk you to the top on a moving conveyor. There's no need to walk uphill,...

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Thundering Paws

(575) 336 - PAWS (7297) 114 Lone Mesa Court, Alto, New Mexico 88312

Plan your pet's vacation while you're planning your vacation. Doggy daycare and resort boarding with large, secure play yards and great staff! We pamper your kitties also with 8 luxury cat condos. That's why so many of our guests scratch at the door to get in Thundering...

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Gear up & check out the Ski Apache bike trails

1-800-545-9011 New Mexico

Sunday – Thursday through September 15th includes day passes for two at Ski Apache for unlimited Gondola bike rides, Inn of the Mountain Gods standard room for 1 night, 20% discount on bike rentals and breakfast buffet for two. July 3 – August 31 the package is...

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BIRDING Birds abound in Ruidoso and the surrounding Lincoln National Forest. It's a fun thing to do and it isn't far to the migratory flyways. Check out these great New Mexico Birding areas: Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge which is northeast of Roswell 575-622-6755 is popular for waterfowl in the marshes of the Pecos River. If you like wild turkeys and hummingbirds, Bluff Springs south of Cloudcroft is a popular destination 575-682-2551 and for Turkey Vultures a stop at Rattlesnake Springs south of Carlsbad is the place 575-785-2232. Other popular areas for birding and bird watching in New Mexico include Bosque del Apache and Water Canyon both near Socorro, NM which is about an hour and a half drive from Ruidoso.

FISHING Ruidoso, New Mexico is surrounded by lakes and streams stocked with trout by the New Mexico Game and Fish department. Usually the fish are biting somewhere and visitors have a good chance of making a catch. Popular area Lakes include Bonito Lake Located off the Nogal turnoff of HWY 48 north of Ruidoso and Grindstone Lake which is located in Ruidoso off of Grindstone. The Inn of the Mountain Gods also offers fishing in their resort lake with a purchased day permit. If you care to venture out of the Ruidoso area to find more good New Mexico fishing try the New Mexico Oasis State Park (575)-356-5331 near Portales, the Caballo State Park (575)-743-3942 south of Truth or Consequences. Perhaps the best fishing spot in the New Mexico, Bluewater Lake State Park is located roughly between Gallup and Grants (575)-876-2391. FLYING J RANCH 575-336-4330 1028 HWY 48 Alto, NM 88312

GOLF The Ruidoso area has several beautiful and challenging golf courses, with others nearby in Cloudcroft and Carrizozo, at some of the highest elevations in the United States. Sunny western weather and cool summers make golf enjoyable year round.

HIKING AND CAMPING The Lincoln National Forest and two wilderness areas provide opportunity for hiking, backpacking, and camping in terrain that ranges from the easily accessible to remote and rugged wilderness.

HORSEBACK RIDING IN RUIDOSO In the Village of Ruidoso, and in the Lincoln National Forest surrounding the village, horseback riding offers a classically Western way to travel.

MOUNTAIN BIKING IN NEW MEXICO, RUIDOSO, CLOUDCROFT AND THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS The mountain biking trails around Ruidoso cover a wide range of difficulty for cyclists of all experience levels. A great 20 mile trail for beginners is located just north of Ruidoso on Bonito Lake Road. Ironman riders may want to tackle the paved roads up Ruidoso's Ski Run road in the summer only. The Grindstone Trail System was completed in 2014 with 18 miles of multi-use for hiking, biking and equestrian usage.

SKIING From Thanksgiving to Easter, Ski Apache offers skiing on groomed powder slopes with the largest lift capacity in New Mexico.

CARRIAGE RIDES through midtown Ruidoso and sleigh rides in the winter.

SNOWPLAY If you are ready for a different experience going downhill on snow check this out. Ruidoso has a first class tubing area offering some of the most exciting tubing you will find anywhere. Twists, turns, bumps, jumps and bobsled curves. Located off of ski run road a short distance from Hwy 48 this tubing park has three cable lifts snowmaking and tubes to carry 3 to 6 riders.

WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT The White Sands National Monument, about a one-hour drive west of Ruidoso, is one of the most unusual places on earth. It's a vast landscape of brilliant white, gypsum sand with huge dunes covering nearly 300 square miles. Hours of operation for the White Sands visitor center are: open daily from Memorial day through Labor Day 8AM to 7PM with extended hours for full moons and the balance of the year 8AM to 5PM (575)-479-6124.